Author/Editor		Lainščak, Mitja
Title		Diagnostična in terapevtska obravnava bolnikov, hospitaliziranih zaradi srčnega popuščanja v univerzitetni in splošni bolnišnici
Type		monografija
Place		Ljubljana
Publisher		Medicinska fakulteta
Publication year		2001
Volume		str. 49
Language		slo
Abstract		Background. Heart failure is a common and very important medical condition of modern age. Treatment of this deadly and impairable condition is highly demanding and costly. Most epidemiological studies showed a gap between diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines and clinical practice. There is a scarcity of heart failure patients' data in Slovenia. Methods. In a prospective comparative study we screened hospital records of all patients, discharged from University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Departments of Internal Medicine and General Hospital Murska Sobota, Department of Internal Medicine during six weeks in April and May 2000. Patients treated for heart failure were included in the study. Results. Two hundred and sixty two patients (149 males) out of 1035 records fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Their mean age was 72.2+-13.1 years. Groups from University Medical Centre and General Hospital were comparable for number (136 vs. 126 patients) and age (71.7+-13.7 years vs. 72.7+-12.4 years). 45% of patients were hospitalised for the first time while 2.3+-3.1 years passed since then in others. At admission most patients (95%) were in NYHA functional class III. and IV. They presented with following diseases: acute myocardial infarction (23%), angina pectoris (30%), arterial hypertension (41 %), diabetes mellitus (30%), pulmonary disease (29%) and renal failure (24%). Hospital stay was also comparable (11.5ž7.6 days vs. 12.8+-9.6 days) and most commonly triggered by infection, atrial fibrillation and noncompliance with medications. Worsening of heart failure and acute myocardial infarction most commonly contributed to in-hospital mortality in University Medical Centre (12 patients, 9%) and General Hospital (20 patients, 16%). Electrocardiogram, chest X-ray and basic laboratory tests were done in almost all patients. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters).
Descriptors		HEART FAILURE, CONGESTIVE HOSPITALIZATION LENGTH OF STAY ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY THORACIC RADIOGRAPHY EXERCISE TEST CAUSE OF DEATH PROSPECTIVE STUDIES